Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients Online
Background: Evidence shows that online solicitation facilitates sex workers’ ability to mitigate the risk of workplace violence. However, little is known about how end-demand sex work criminalization and the regulation of online sex work sites shape men and non-binary sex workers’ ability to maintai...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/7/318 |
| _version_ | 1827618552342904832 |
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| author | Brett Koenig Alka Murphy Spencer Johnston Jennie Pearson Rod Knight Mark Gilbert Kate Shannon Andrea Krüsi |
| author_facet | Brett Koenig Alka Murphy Spencer Johnston Jennie Pearson Rod Knight Mark Gilbert Kate Shannon Andrea Krüsi |
| author_sort | Brett Koenig |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Evidence shows that online solicitation facilitates sex workers’ ability to mitigate the risk of workplace violence. However, little is known about how end-demand sex work criminalization and the regulation of online sex work sites shape men and non-binary sex workers’ ability to maintain their own safety while soliciting services online. Methods: We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with men and non-binary sex workers in British Columbia between 2020–2021 and examined their ability to enact safety strategies online in the context of end-demand criminalization. Analysis drew on a structural determinants of health framework. Results: Most participants emphasized that sex work is not inherently dangerous and described how soliciting services online facilitated their ability to enact personal safety strategies and remain in control of client interactions. However, participants also described how end-demand criminalization, sex work stigma, and restrictive website policies compromise their ability to solicit services online and to enact safety strategies. Conclusions: Alongside calls to decriminalize sex work, these findings emphasize the need to normalize sex work as a form of labour, promote access to online solicitation among men and non-binary sex workers, and develop standards for online sex work platforms in partnership with sex workers that prioritize sex worker safety. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:11:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2aabdbe7ce2f4853abd52f130b3e3ab3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0760 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:11:19Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2aabdbe7ce2f4853abd52f130b3e3ab32023-12-01T22:41:34ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602022-07-0111731810.3390/socsci11070318Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients OnlineBrett Koenig0Alka Murphy1Spencer Johnston2Jennie Pearson3Rod Knight4Mark Gilbert5Kate Shannon6Andrea Krüsi7Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, 1190 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, CanadaCentre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, 1190 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, CanadaHealth Initiative for Men, 1033 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1M5, CanadaCentre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, 1190 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, CanadaCentre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, 1190 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, CanadaCentre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, 1190 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, CanadaCentre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, 1190 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, CanadaCentre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity, 1190 Hornby St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6, CanadaBackground: Evidence shows that online solicitation facilitates sex workers’ ability to mitigate the risk of workplace violence. However, little is known about how end-demand sex work criminalization and the regulation of online sex work sites shape men and non-binary sex workers’ ability to maintain their own safety while soliciting services online. Methods: We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with men and non-binary sex workers in British Columbia between 2020–2021 and examined their ability to enact safety strategies online in the context of end-demand criminalization. Analysis drew on a structural determinants of health framework. Results: Most participants emphasized that sex work is not inherently dangerous and described how soliciting services online facilitated their ability to enact personal safety strategies and remain in control of client interactions. However, participants also described how end-demand criminalization, sex work stigma, and restrictive website policies compromise their ability to solicit services online and to enact safety strategies. Conclusions: Alongside calls to decriminalize sex work, these findings emphasize the need to normalize sex work as a form of labour, promote access to online solicitation among men and non-binary sex workers, and develop standards for online sex work platforms in partnership with sex workers that prioritize sex worker safety.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/7/318sex worksexual and gender minoritiesmen’s healthoccupational healthviolencestructural interventions |
| spellingShingle | Brett Koenig Alka Murphy Spencer Johnston Jennie Pearson Rod Knight Mark Gilbert Kate Shannon Andrea Krüsi Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients Online Social Sciences sex work sexual and gender minorities men’s health occupational health violence structural interventions |
| title | Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients Online |
| title_full | Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients Online |
| title_fullStr | Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients Online |
| title_full_unstemmed | Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients Online |
| title_short | Digital Exclusion and the Structural Barriers to Safety Strategies among Men and Non-Binary Sex Workers Who Solicit Clients Online |
| title_sort | digital exclusion and the structural barriers to safety strategies among men and non binary sex workers who solicit clients online |
| topic | sex work sexual and gender minorities men’s health occupational health violence structural interventions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/7/318 |
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